The Sports Board (NIF) believes it should be allowed hang on
The members of the board of NIF have decided that they should complete its work and be measured on results at the council meeting in 2019.
The board of the Norwegian Sports Federation (NIF) states this in a press release today. Norges Idrettsforbund (NIF) is the umbrella organization for most organized sports in Norway.
The sports council has been gathering for a meeting in the last two days to follow up the much-discussed information meeting at Gardermoen on Wednesday afternoon. During this information meeting, several federations and sports regions expressed their distrust in the board including the President, Tom Tvedt.
The conclusion reached after the follow-up of the issue at the board meeting is the following resolution:
– The Sports Board believes that it is best for Norwegian sport that it completes the work that is begun and is measured on the outcome of this at the next Council in 2019.
The sports president earlier this week told NTB that he has not considered withdrawing as a result of the media pressure he has been subject to in recent months. Tvedt and his board have been under severe pressure after the media gained access to bills and vouchers, which revealed lavish spending on alcohol and the like.
The current board was elected during the Sports Council in 2015. The next is scheduled for early summer 2019.
Several federations and sports regions with distrust of the Sports Board
Several federations, representing different sports, headed by the Golf Federation (NGF) no longer have confidence in President Tom Tvedt and his Board. This was made clear during a meeting at Gardermoen.
Several sports regions lacks confidence in the board as well, and it may end with an extraordinary Council meeting where Tvedt and the rest of the board can be sacked.
– The feedback is clear. This situation is serious. It was important to get this on the table. I want to spend the time leading up to 2019 together with the current Sports Board follow through on the changes we have made, Tom Tvedt tells NRK.
The leadership of the Norwegian Sports Association had called for an information meeting with the federations and sports regions under their umbrella. Golf President Wiig took the floor and stated his voiced his standpoint.
No confidence
– Several of the issues that have arisen around NIF’s economic dispositions, and how things has been handled, is of concern to NGF. This damages the reputation of sports and shifts the focus and capacities away from important challenges that ought to have the full attention of NIF and the Sports Board. The sum of this is that NGF’s board no longer trusts the Sports Board, says Golf President Marit Wiig according to Norskgolf.no.
None of the Sport Federations had expressed their distrust of the Sports Board before Wednesday’s meeting.
Knut Bjørklund, who is the leader in Troms sports region, tells VG that this year’s leadership meeting can lead to an extraordinary Council if the vote of no confidence obtains sufficient support.
Harsh criticism
– There were about twenty people who took the floor. A large majority of them were very critical. if Finnmark who did not take the floor is counted, eight expressed a vote of no confidence. On top of that there were five or six who expressed their views, but who will have meetings before reaching a conclusion, says Bjørklund to VG.
– Then there are seven regions and federations that are “hallelujah” in favour of NIF’s Board. They are, among others, the Bicycle Federation (NCF), which are in dire need of a rescue buoy, the Ice Hockey Federation, as well as Handball (Which is Tvedt’s own Federation). That is not surprising. Oslo, Nordland and Trøndelag sports regions are also part of that clique.
Considers
It is especially the matters concerning the disclosures of the spenditure of money in by the Sports Board, both before and under Tom Tvedt’s leadership, that has led to the distrust. According to VG, the Snowboard Federation has concluded that it does not trust the current Sports Board, either.
Several sports regions have expressed their distrust, and the Basketball Federation is considering to follow suit.
– Our confidence in the current Board is weakened significantly. We want evaluate what happens in the near future to asses if we still have confidence or not, says Basketball President, Jan Hendrik Parmann, to VG.
About Tom Tvedt
Sports President Tom Tvedt is co-habitating with Labour Party Secretary Kjersti Stenseng, who has her hands full with the warning cases against Trond Giske and other prominent party members. He was before this mayor of Randaberg municipality and later County Governor for Labour in Rogaland. He has also had several appearances on the Norwegian Handball Team.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
